The present invention relates in general to patient monitoring and more particularly concerns novel apparatus and techniques for monitoring a patient and providing a warning when the patient may leave the bed. The invention provides remarkable reliability of monitoring with relatively rugged apparatus relatively free from complexity that may readily be attached to existing hospital beds by relatively unskilled personnel.
A serious problem with bed ridden patients occurs when they leave a bed. Falling out accidentally is one problem. A more common problem occurs when a patient attempting to leave the bed falls. Still another dangerous situation arises when the patient, successful in leaving bed unharmed, falls or trips over an object in the darkened room. These accidents occur because many patients are reluctant to signal for assistance.
Accordingly, it is an important object of the invention to provide methods and means for signalling when a patient is about to leave a bed.
It is a further object of the invention to achieve the preceding object with apparatus that is reliable.
It is a further object of the invention to achieve one or more of the preceding objects with apparatus that is relatively inexpensive and may be attached to existing hospital beds with relatively unskilled personnel.
It is a further object of the invention to achieve one or more of the preceding objects with apparatus suitable for use with existing hospital signalling systems.
It is still a further object of the invention to achieve one or more of the preceding objects with apparatus that is highly resistant to signalling false alarms.
It is a further object of the invention to achieve one or more of the preceding objects with apparatus that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.